Tomato-scalder.



Patentedl. Nov. 2?, 1917.

Z SHEETS-SHEET l.

LP. wm'ram.

TOMATO SCALBER, APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. I917- J. P. WALKER. TOMATO SCALDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. I917.

1 ,fifl 1 4E I Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET Z- JACOB P. WALKER, OF HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND.

TOMATO-SOALDER.

Application filed July 23, 1917.

To all whom it may concern mato-S'calders;

Be it known that I, JAooBP. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Havre do Grace, in the county of Harford and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Toand I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention :has for its object to pro vide a simply constructed and inexpensive,

yet a highly ei'licient machine for both wash- 7 ing and scalding tomatoes, preparatory to canning thereof, 1t bemg understood, how

ever, that the machine could well be em ployed for other purposes.

In carrying out the above end, a plurality "of vertically swinging dipping bas-, kets are provided, a further invention being to provide novel means for operating said baskets as required.

object of the Yet another object is to construct the basketsthemselves in a novel and efiicient manner.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and uniquecombinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specificatlon and in wl11ch:-

Figure 1 1s a vertical longitudinal sec tion of the improved machine with both baskets in lowered position; 2' is a top plan view;

Flg. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the first basket elevated to discharge its load into the second basket;

Fig. 4 is a duplicateof Fig. 3, with the exception that it illustrates the first basket lowered to receive a second quantity of tomatoes, whereas the second basket is elevated to discharge its load; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the plane ofthe line 55 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates an elongated tank having a tomato inlet chute 2 at one end and a divided outlet chute 3 at its other end, said tank having between its ends a trans- Specification of Letters Patent.

verse partition d compartment 5 ment 6.

A washing basket 7 dividing it into a washing and a scalding compartand a scalding basket 7 are positioned respectively in the washing and scalding chambers 5 and 6, both of said baskets being of a trough-like formation hingedly mounted at one end as indicated at 8. Each basket comprises a plurality of longitudinal bottom slats 9 pref erably formed of metal and having one end bent upwardly at 10 to form an end for the basket, a plurality of longitudinal side slats l1, and a trio of transverse U-shaped members 12, 13 and 14: to which said bottom and side slats are secured, the bottom slats being secured to the horizontal portions of said members, whereas the side slats areanchored to the vertical arms thereof.

Each of the members 12 and 13 is formed of a single piece of metal, but the vertical arms 14 of the member 14, are secured to the ends of the horizontal portion 14- thereof, said portion being preferably formed ofwood, although any other suit- 7 able material could well be employed. The

arms 12 of the member 12 extend above the side slats 7 and serve as attaching means for a pair of bails 15 to which a pair of actuating cables 16 are secured, the horizontal portion of each member 12, as well as the corresponding portions of the other members 13 and 14, beingsecured to a longitudinal reinforcing slat 17 which passes beneath the cross bars of the members 12 and 13, but is secured to the upper side of the cross member 1 of the part 14. It will be observed that the baskets '7 and 7 are depressed longitudinally and. it will be understood that the provision of the slats 17 will tend to maintain them in the requisite shape. p

The actuating cables 16, above mentioned, are trained over pulleys 18 which are carried by arched frames 19, said frames rising rigidly from the tank 1 and being positioned above the compartments 5 and 6. The ends of the cables 16, remote from the bails 15, are wound upon a pair of transverse drums 20 which are operatively connected for rotation in unison and in the same direction, by a sprocket chain or the like 21 which preferably passes over an idler like.

7 that within the scope charge its load 22. Any preferred means could well be employed for rotating the drums 20 as required, but for illustrative purposes I have shown one of said drums provided with a pulley 223 whereas the other is equipped with a hand crank 2%. By the provision of these two features the machine may be driven either by power or by hand as occasion may demand. I

In operation, the washing and scalding compartments 5 and 6 respectively, are filled with water and the temperature of that in said compartment 6, is maintained at the proper degree, by a steam spray head 25 which is positioned in said compartment.

The tomatoes are fed through the chute 2 into the basket 7, when the latter is lowered as shown in Fig. 1, it being essential that this basket shall be submerged in the water, so that the latter will act as a cushion to cause the vegetables to fall slowly into the basket, so that they will not cut. \Vhen the basket 7 is filled, the drums 20 are so actuated as to cause the respective I operating cable 16 of said basket, to oscillate the latter vertically so that a washing operation will take place. This having been done, the drums are rotated in such a manner as to raise the basket to the position of Fig. 3, in which position it will discharge its load into the scalding basket 7 which is then immersed in the scalding water in the compartment 6. This having been done the machine is actuated to oscillate the basket 7, so as to effect the scalding operation, after which, proper actuation of the drums 20, will raise the basket 7 through the chute 3 as indicated in Fig. 4,-the basket 7 being simultaneously lowered as shown in this figure to receive another quantity of tomatoes or the The machine may with the expenditure of little tinuously and account of this CO11t-1I1L1011S opower and on eration, a comparatively small machine will supply a great number of peelers, that is the hands who peel the tomatoes.

On account of the advantages flowing from the several features of construction above described, such construction constitutes the preferred form of the improved I wishit understood, however, of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may well machine.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by. addressing the p Washington, DJ 0.

be bruised or to disthus operate con be made without sacrificing the principal advantages.

I claim:

1. A dipping machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of vertically movable dipping baskets, said baskets being hingedly mounted at one end, a plurality of actuating cables connected to said baskets adjacent the other ends thereof, drums upon which said cables are wound for alternately raising andlowering said baskets when said drums are rotated, and means operatively connecting said drums for rotating them in unison in either direction.

2: A dipping machine of the class described comprising an elongated tank divided into a pair .of longitudinally spaced compartments, vertically swinging dipping baskets mounted hingedly in saidcompartments and adapt-ed to deliver onefinto the other, arched frames rising from the tank above said compartments pulleys carried by the crowns of said 'rames, actuating cables connected to said baskets and passing over said pulleys, drums around which said cables are wound foralternately raising and lowering said baskets when'said drums are rotated, and means operatively connecting said drums for rotating them in unison in either direction. 1

3. A dipping machine of. the class described comprising a. tank, a trough-like dipping basket therein hingedly mounted at one end and comprising a plurality of longitudinal bottom slats, a plurality of longitudinal side slats, and a plurality of U- shaped transverse members. to which said bottom and side slats are secured, the arms 'ofone ofsaidniembers extending above said side slats, and operating means for" the basket connected to the upper ends of said arms. Y

4. A structure as specified inclaim 3, the ends of'the bottom slats,-remote from the hinged end of the basket, being bent upwardly to form an endfor said basket.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1 l Y a JACOB P. WALKER.

Witnesses: j

EDWINE. PEARSON, Gnonen PFAFFE'NBAGH.

Commissioner of IEatents, 

